...at batdude.blogspot.com

I've finally moved over to the quad-core for music production. I initially had Windows Vista as the OS given Mac Chew's positive comments on running Cubase 4 on Vista on his MacBook Pro. (Don't ask!) It's probably the best decision I've ever made running Cubase on Vista because now I am absolutely sure about moving on to MacOS for my next upgrade. I have since moved back to Windows XP with a lot of help from DJ phuturecybersonique....or as I'd like to call him, Redzuan or Dude.

With that in mind, I'm only using apps and virtual instruments that have Mac versions. Isn't that great? I can't wait.

In the later afternoon just now, I get a phone call from Faizal Tahir, the guy who sings "Mahakarya Cinta" and a few other songs that you can hear on my imeem page. He starts off with the weirdest opening line:

"Dude. I just want to be the first to tell you...whatever happens, I am sorry."

Well, since the label had already called me to tell me about the incident, I wasn't too surprised.

You see...Faizal performed at this concert the night before, which was also televised live on 8TV. During his performance, he starts taking off his clothes and he ends up with his shoes and jeans. And so today, there is hell to pay. All this is coming from a guy who got so excited that he did a power slide on live TV when "Mahakarya Cinta" got into the finals of Juara Lagu. Evidently, there was hell to pay there as well.

For the rest of the day, I get calls and SMS telling me about the strip job. One even suggested I plan for a back-up singer for "Mahakarya Cinta" because there was talk that Faizal will be banned from radio and TV. Well, to hell with that. Personally, if Faizal gets banned, I won't go to the finals of Juara Lagu as a sign of protest. I would go as far as to withdraw the song if the lyricist agrees. And I will tell you why.

Because, ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is a honest-to-goodness rock star!

Yes people! Surprise surprise! In case you do not know what kind of species this is, Faizal Tahir is a rock star! It seems that with the endless surplus of ballad singers in this country, we have forgotten what a rock star looks like, their characteristics, and feeding schedule.

If you cannot accept that, then you are the very reason why the Malaysian music industry is still in the stone-age. Therefore, it should come as no surprise if he takes his shirt off. It's all part of the act. Wait till he gets into videotaped orgies, starts wearing women's underwear and heels, and then changes his name into an unpronounceable symbol. But he is not weird. I don't think he'd go there because this guy is just fueled by honest and pure passion. And God knows, we need more of that in our business.

Yesterday, Faizal Tahir rocked the boat.

We cannot appreciate his form of expression. (And I am waiting for the critics to say it's un-Islamic because apparently, Muslims are not passionate people....well, not out in the open anyway.)

As much as I love the whole "soft and gentle way of the Asian culture", we really just need someone to grab us by the balls and say "Hey! There is still some life yet in this scene." As a fan, I love it. I love it when there is some excitement in a performance. And when was the last time something like this happened?

So tomorrow morning, Faizal and the label will be having a press conference. And I am sure the press cannot wait to ask that one question: WHY?

And I am sure Faizal will give some stupid politically-correct answer like he (if) was (you) just (have) excited (to) and (ask) got (you) caught (will) up (never) with (know) the (you passionless nutsack!) crowd.

Reporter: "Do you think this will affect your career?"
Faizal: "I (only) leave (if) this (you) all (make) up (a) to (big) the (deal) fans (out) to (of) decide (this)!"

So everybody, just mop it up and move on.

By the way, go buy the CD. Faizal Tahir. Aku. Muzik. Kamu.

This post is going to make me a lot of friends. I am going to go out on a limb here, shoot my mouth off and probably end up digging a hole for myself.

The Malay newspapers have been highlighting this matter of the local Malay stations playing more music from Indonesia and not supporting local music. This newspaper interviews a bunch of washed-up veteran producers and writers. Of course, they all collectively blame the radio stations for the state of the local music scene and why they cannot make a living because the radio stations support Indonesian music.

And today, I read that the government is actually conducting an investigation! As if there is nothing else more important to do in government, the government is looking into this complaint and will probably have a quota on how many produced-in-Malaysia songs they have to play.

While you may think this is ironic and it goes against my personal interest for me to comment on this, I think this is the most ridiculous and most offensive thing anyone can do to creative works and the free market. Of course, such a ruling would benefit me tremendously since I am a songwriter and I stand to make more money if the local stations are forced to play locally produced music. Hence the irony.

All the arguments that were brought up by these veteran writers have no merit.

A radio station is a business. They cater to the demands of the market. (Of course, some stations take this way to personally and actually think they know what the market wants and then become an imposition.)

The reason why radio stations are not playing as much local music is because no one wants to hear it. And not many people want to hear it because the music, simply put, SUCKS. (That's the technical marketing term.)

I am not kissing ass with the radio stations. It's not a conspiracy. The radio stations are not out to kill the local industry. If
anything, the musicians and songwriters are doing it to themselves by trying to sound like Indonesians today or Indonesians back in 70s. If I were a radio station, I'd too be embarrassed to play some of the local stuff I hear. Even if I were embarrassed, but if listeners wanted it, so be it. Play it.

As a producer and songwriter, I welcome the challenge. It bugs me whenever I hear an Indonesian song on the radio. But if it is good, it is good and it deserves its place on radio. I take it as a personal challenge and I want to do better to compete. Understand that I am not anti-Indonesian. I am in awe of their progress but I do not see them as one to emulate (since they are emulating the British.)

The bottom line here is the radio stations as a business, owe the music industry nothing. They owe it to their customers and listeners.

And then there was this new argument today suggesting that there should be a law to force local stations to play local artists so that we can have international acts. He cited Australia with Savage Garden and Kylie Minogue. I don't see the logic here. How, by force-playing local acts, will the act go international. (Incidentally, Kylie made it via the U.K. and most Australians probably hate Savage Garden's music.)

So let's say the government manages to have a quota and radio stations are forced to play local music (but there isn't really enough good local stuff so they either repeat the good ones or start playing crap). First, all the stations will sound like X-Fresh. You can see where that is going.

But this is what is going to happen: Radio will lose their listeners. Listeners will go to music social networks like imeem.com or last.fm and get their music. Radio will become less relevant. It will become what the railway station is to transportation. And then we would get closer to completing our mission as a nation that takes one step forward but two steps back.

And when listeners go online for their new music discovery, NO ONE IN MALAYSIA GETS PAID.

As for the music industry, it's Proton all over again. Constantly expecting handouts and never wanting to look at the real cause of the problem.

Burn that analog tape machine and take a good look in the mirror.



























Phew! Now I feel better.

I get asked a lot why I use Nurfatima for lyrics a lot.

The simple direct answer is because she is good.

I would use a female lyricist for a song meant for a female artist. Similarly, I would use Ad Samad if I wanted lyrics for a male singer. I've worked with many lyricists before but over the years, I've come to depend on Nur and Ad for their ideas, consistency and work ethic. But most importantly, both writers sound new. They think about their words. It's plain and simple.

Let me be quick to add that this doesn't mean I do not think other writers are good. I do still work with other writers. I always love working with Shah Shamshiri, Rafidah Abdullah, Ireani Yaacob, Azalea, and Faizal Tahir. All excellent lyricists but these people are usually too busy for me.

About five years ago, I met Colin Pereira, one of the directors of Fuse, a then-new audio production house doing mostly music for advertising. They also had talent management business and they managed rather interesting music acts including Deanna Yusoff, Discomafia, Nightlife Camera, and Reshmonu.

I was at the tail-end of a kinda-sorta-failed business. I was broke, in debt, and honestly, quite lost as to what my next step was going to be. I was introduced to Colin and I was given a shot to work on some music of a commercial. It was something new and I struggled at it. But after a few months, I think I was getting it.

After almost three active years and almost a hundred productions in advertising music, I think I finally got it. And shock horror...I was making money. While advertising music was paying my bills, I still did album work here and there whenever someone gave me the chance to.

But those years in advertising were interesting. I had a few defining moments:

- I annoyed Malaysia (and Maxis and DiGi) with my Celcom 5sen SMS song: "Gimme gimme gimme...what I want" and the many many variations after that.

- I did the music for two Malaysian Airlines TV commercials which I am proud of: The one where things move backwards in time and the one introducing the airline's new jumbo Airbus

- For my advertising productions, I recorded, for my first time: Clarinet, Steve Thornton, Coni Soliano, some singer from Hungary (or some Eastern European country), string players from the MPO, Mia Palencia, Jaclyn Victor (before she became Jaclyn Victor), and recorded at King's Studio on freakin' analog tape!

Underlining all that, my heart was still in local music scene. And more specifically, Malay-language music. But it was frustrating because there was not a lot of room for creativity and innovation because major labels do not take risks on new ideas. Up until 2005, the major labels were still in control. Kinda.

I was frustrated with where the local music industry was going. Not because I am patriot. It was because there was something more exciting going on the flip side which is the local English-language scene. And that made the Malay-language scene look like a dinosaur. Malay-language music became something that is old and outdated. When you say "Malay music", you think "ugly old rock music or screechy ballads."

When you question why? And why not try something new? The lame-ass answer would be "because the market loves ballads." So name me one ballad that has had an impact and I will name you two non-ballads that have. The market will try to take what we give them. If they don't like it, they will find what they want some place else. And that "some place else" is Indonesia.

Moron: This is a cool song. Who is it?
Me: It's Peterpan.
Moron: No wonder la.
Me: *Sigh*

One would not associate the words "modern", "new" or "progressive" when it comes to Malay-language music from Malaysia. But when it comes from Indonesia, then it's different. When it's "Malay" and it sounds good, then it must be Indonesian.

Idiot: This is a cool song. Who is it?
Me: It's Dina from Malaysian Idol.
Idiot: Wow! Really? The music sounds really good. I thought it was Indonesian.
Me: You are an idiot.

Putting it in a nutshell, it has come to this: Malaysian music only sounds good when it sounds like Indonesian music.

Moving on to June 2006.

Me: I want to make the kind of music I want to make which I think will work. Not because the label tells me to. I am not on a "syok sendiri" trip. I want to make music that sells. I want new pop music in Malay. I want lots of people to like the music and not just the urban few. There is a new segment in the music market. The kampung folks have moved up the social and economic ladder. Not all Malays want to listen to old-school rock ballads. I want that same excitement I felt when I heard Sheila Majid's "Warna" or Zainal Abidin's "Senang-senang" for the first time back in the 80s. I want that excitement when I heard Innuendo and OAG for the first time back in the 90s. I want to make Malay music cool!
Colin: OK.

So I decided to do producers do when they want to prove a point. I will find talent. Develop and produce an album for them. Sell the masters to a record label to market and distribute, and get Fuse to manage the artist. And then I move on to my next project. Clean and straightforward. That way, I won't have to depend on labels to jobs. There's risk but at least I have some control and I'm more proactive in making sure I have an income. After all, didn't Adnan do this and discovered Siti Nurhaliza, Liza Hanim, and Misha Omar?

Seemed like such a simple idea but God had other plans for me.

Fast forward to August 2007. Everything I had planned for has fallen apart evolved. There has been personnel changes. Roles have been redefined. Over the course of the past few months, things have taken shape and I've come to terms with it. I am now part of a record label.
I have taken the role that was the very source of my frustrations. I'm struggling to digest this.

Today, we had a media event which was more for talent management to have photo sessions for Hari Raya. To see the artists all in the same room was a little overwhelming but at the same time exciting. Never have I had so many opportunities to screw up one's career.

Today, I want to tell you of my association to Satu.

(Imagine that! A Malaysian entertainment company with a Malay name that even a white guy can pronounce.)

I hope to achieve several things with Satu and they are mostly related to my thoughts expressed earlier:
1. To change the perception of the market to Malay-language music.
2. To open new markets for local Malay-language music. Satu is not competition. We will not produce power ballads.
3. So help me God...have our Malaysian sound. I want the Indonesians to one day say "Let's make it sound Malaysian!"

Putting it simply, I want to make Malay music sound cool.

I am still writing and producing for others because I see these artists as an agent of change. I am always grateful whenever artists puts their trust in me and give me the freedom to come up with something I think will work for them. It's always a risk when you go with an Audi Mok song. ("It sounds cool but where do I breathe when I sing the chorus?" But that opportunity is something I appreciate and would be foolish to pass up.

So there you go. A new chapter for me. A year from now I will know if I've completely ruined my career or I'm onto something and I actually do some good for the industry. Needless to say, I need all the help I can get. So if you want to impress me or have me in your debt, now would be a good time.

(Suddenly I feel like Steve Jobs with his open letters.)

Got music here: satu.fm

OMG! This might seem so self-indulgent but I just saw Dayang perform "Hilang" on Anugerah Era and the music was amazing! Dayang was equally amazing. And I must admit: Better than her album performance. (But of course it is supposed to be better right?)

It's always weird for me when I listen my music being being reproduced by a live band or orchestra. You see, I make my music in my little room on my computer. Honestly, half the time, I have no idea what I am doing. This is not false modesty. I just wing it. And then to see someone capable like Ramli M.S. conduct an orchestra replaying the lines I made up while scratching myself, it's surreal.

Diddy and Nikki performed the other "Hilang" quite well too. Although you can tell how nervous they both were. The music sounded like the original music and the orchestra just played over it. Maybe. I don't know. Such instances show the differences of the seasoned experienced performer and the newbies. Especially when you have them back to back. This is not a bad thing. I guess it could be if the newbie just sits on his/her ass all day and does nothing to improve.

Anyway, I watched the tail-end of the show on TV at home despite the numerous attempts of people trying to get me to go to Genting Highlands to watch the show. And why not? Because 1. I was not invited and 2. I can watch the show without my pants on and after that, I can watch Spider-Man 3 on DVD. Joy.

I am very tired. I think I am going to stop composing and producing for awhile and take time off. Maybe adopt an African child. Get closer to God. Exercise more. Get more sun. Find the cure for cancer. Sleep more. Read more. Meet more people. Do more things for myself. Live more. Things just do not make as much sense these days.

I recorded Siti Nurhaliza this morning. I am not sure if I am even allowed to make this statement. But screw it. I recorded Siti Nurhaliza this morning. Who wants to touch me?

I had a comment here asking if I really have this notice posted in my studio.

"Please do not ask me to write songs that sounds like any one of the following songs: Caramu. Drama. Tak Ada Logika."

Just to get it out of the way, I did not write "Tak Ada Logika" but I did write "Caramu" and "Drama".

I am amused that this notice is known to at least one person who have not been to my studio. But YES, I do have this notice up on my studio wall.

I am grateful that "Caramu" and "Drama" were hits. I am flattered that other singers want songs that sound like them but think about it for a moment.

These songs were hits for Nikki and Ning Baizura. Even if I wrote them for you before Nikki or Ning recorded them, it doesn't mean it will be a hit for you. "Drama" was tailor-made for Ning. It's how I see her. So in my mind, no one can sing "Drama" like Ning. No one can sing "Malu Tapi Mahu" but Dina (OK. Maybe Agnes Monica also can.) So, I find these requests for "Caramu" or "Drama"-clones almost silly. It is like seeing a nice dress on one person, and then going out to buy a similar dress and expecting to look as good and original.

You see, I have noticed that the songs that work out well are songs that I write specifically for the artists. It means that these songs are custom-made. And I need to know something about the singer's personality. Then the song automatically becomes a natural extension. I hate nothing more than someone asking me "Just write me a song. Anything you like. Maybe something like "Caramu" and Celine Dion!"

Yes, a popular female singer just asked me that a few days ago!

I know nothing about this woman except that she was recently divorced and chose to make her divorce into a media circus to get sympathy. So the immediate reference song that comes to mind is not "Caramu" or "My Heart Will Go On" but instead Meridith Brooke's "Bitch".

There are people from some labels who get this point and request that I meet with the singer. Like Keon from Luncai Emas or Izham (obviously!) who would insist I hang out with the artists and write with them in the room. On the other end, we have those who just ask for songs that are bubble gum pop from ten different writers and then have ten songs that sound like they shouldn't be on the same album.

So ask for something else. I have other ideas too, you know.